WASD vs ESDF

[Ne1butme]

Greetings all,

I've been playing PC shooters since Quake 1 and I don't understand the allure of WASD compared to ESDF. I'm aware that WASD is the default setting for most FPS games (and it probably started with Quake), but why?

ESDF seems to be superior in all aspects. More keys are within reach. When using ESDF, your index finger can get to T, G, & B with much less stretching than WASD, and your access to the left column (tab, caps, shift,ctrl) isn't hampered at all.

Furthermore, when using ESDF, your hand is in the normal typing position. Most keyboards have a little riser on the F, so that you can place your hands correctly without having to look at the keyboard. That's really useful in gaming as well. As I'm moving my hands all of the keyboard (StarCraft for example), i can get back to my default ESDF position just by feeling.

PC games that don't allow remapping from WASD to ESDF will annoy me to no end. That was one of my biggest issues with Demigod. The camera controls were mounted to WASD and i couldn't get comfortable with my hands out of position. And i recall only one game where ESDF was the default (Tribes).

So, if you use WASD, why? Is it because that's what you've always used, and it's more convenient than having to remap every time you play a new game? Is it something special with your keyboard. Perhaps the switches makes pressing some combination of buttons non-responsive. I'd like to hear what you have to say.

 

[-Samurai-]

I don't use either. I use arrow keys. If I can't remap to arrows, I don't play it.

 

[Shockolate]

One question, apart from the obvious what the hell are you talking about: You say You can Reach T G and B with little effort. I have never played a PC shooter where any of those buttons were relevant, except maybe taunting in Team Fortress 2.

 

[Varchld]

I've used ESDF on some mmo's and things which it's handy to have more buttons with, but generally for more twitch games the ESDF buttons are offset a little much to make your little finger useful without twisting it a little, it's kind of between z,a and shift.
It's all a matter of using what you're most comfortable with though. Games that don't allow remapping are cutting corners that shouldn't be taken for granted.

 

[Wolfram23]

I use WASD because that's been the default and so I'm used to it. I can see ESDF being good too with an extra column of keys on the left, but only for something like WoW where you need to hotkey a bajillion things. Even then I just used WASD with modifiers for something like 24 hotkeys

 

[migo]

It depends on the keyboard. WASD allows easier access to Ctrl on my keyboard, and the TGB point is totally bunk since you can remap them to RFV.

 

[SuperSuperSuperGuy]

I just use WASD because I'm used to it. I don't usually change anything from the default in anything...

 

[icyneesan]

I only need two buttons for all games
Forward and Kill

 

[TerranReaper]

ESDF seems superior from what I can tell, but my fingers are more used to WASD.

 

[Judgement101]

With ESDF your wrist can hit you hand if you are using a laptop mouse thing.

 

[Ne1butme]

One question, apart from the obvious what the hell are you talking about: You say You can Reach T G and B with little effort. I have never played a PC shooter where any of those buttons were relevant, except maybe taunting in Team Fortress 2.

For TF2, i use T for yelling out Spy (more useful than you would expect), G is yell for Medic, R is reload, V is voice chat, B is last spy disguise, Q & W are for either engie menu or disguise menu.

Basically, i like give each function it's own button. Started that way in Quake 3, i gave each weapon a button near ESDF so i didn't have to fumble selecting the exact weapon i wanted. Now that i've got a mouse with thumb buttons, i can offload some of the functions to the right hand as well.

My config might seem complicated, but it allows me to do everything i want with usually a single button press. It's very efficient. Thus i need the extra buttons that ESDF provides.

 

[viranimus]

Wikipedia
Primarily, WASD is used to account for the fact that the arrow keys are not ergonomic to use in conjunction with a right-handed mouse. This also allows the user to use the left hand thumb to press the space bar (often the jump command) and the left hand little finger to press the CTRL or SHIFT keys

That seems to be the reason for it. I personally use neither. I use arrow keys, and typically have to remap certain keys to surrounding the arrow keys. The reason for it is that I always play in an extremely low light environment,(I ended up getting an illuminated keyboard, but I still feel no compulsion to change) and for me ESDF and WASD are not viable because if your doing something like typing a message, and then all the sudden you need to initiate some sort of movement, its easy to get your fingers lost trying to figure out where WASD ESDF are because all the keys feel the same there, sometimes resulting in your first move going left instead of backwards or the like, until you get your fingers oriented. Arrow keys eliminate that.

So for me its all about what I find to be the most efficent tactile configuration so you dont have divert visual attention to looking down.

Ill be honest, I dont like using letter keys for movement. Seems very counter intuitive to use letter keys for movement, when there are 4 keys on your keyboard that their soul purpose is for movement. Aside from that, on 90% of keyboards, the letter key layouts means that the forward key will invariably be off center from the backwards key. If there is a game that has a WASD or EDSF control configuration, and doesnt allow you to remap the commands to what I want, I will either remap them to a gamepad, or if that doesnt work, I wont even bother playing the game.

 

[pirate64]

hmm I have always played WASD and never even heard of people using ESDF before this topic. I guess I use WASD because it allows my little finger to be on shift which is my main crouch and my thumb on space my main jump button. But this intrigues me. next time I'm on a PC game (so tomorrow) I'm going to try out ESDF.

 

[dfcrackhead]

I only need to buttons for all games
Forward and Kill

So is it W+M1 or E+M1?e=mc^2...sorry

OT: I've never eve seen ESDF used so I'm a WASD man myself, although I find quite often when I take my hands off wasd the sometimes land in the ESDF position and suddenly left is down and down is right and I'm calling for the medic instead of running

 

[Ne1butme]

I only need two buttons for all games
Forward and Kill

You must like to play Pyro in TF2.

 

[MurderousToaster]

I didn't even know that people used ESDF.

I've only ever used WASD.

EDIT: Also, it's easier to hit shift, control and the number buttons.